New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) workers picked up disposable masks, car parts and roof shingles during a roadside trash collection project across the state in September.
Workers collected 8.5 tons of trash tossed on New Mexico roads, read an NMDOT news release.
NMDOT workers in District 2, which includes portions of southeastern and eastern New Mexico, collected 2.4 tons of trash, said Manon Arnett, District 2 spokesperson.
“The roadside trash issue continues to plague New Mexico and while our department is accountable for the cleanup. I implore New Mexicans to take responsibility for their actions that cause litter,” said NMDOT Secretary Mike Sandoval in the news release.
“Our employees are working on their day off to clean up the trash and debris left behind by motorists. These employees include our maintenance patrols and any DOT employee willing to participate. The trash accumulates faster than we can pick it up on a regular basis.”
In the release, Sandoval said maintaining integrity of New Mexico roads was the primary job of NMDOT crews.
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“That’s why we are contracting with a private company to work exclusively on litter pickup, but the problem needs to be stopped at the source. People must tie and tarp their loads, tie up their garbage bags and stop using our roadsides as dump sites,” he said.
Statewide, 98 NMDOT employees filled 427 bags of trash and accrued 1,044 labor hours, the release indicated.
Arnett said 22 NMDOT District 2 employees and two volunteers picked up trash during the cleanup.
She said on average NMDOT crews in Eddy County pickup around six tons of trash along roadways during any given month.
Lumber, scrap metal, household trash, a mattress, hypodermic needles, medical waste and a microwave oven were some of the items picked up during the cleanup, the release read.
Keep Carlsbad Beautiful Executive Director Mary Garwood said litter and illegal dumping continued to cause problems in New Mexico.
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“With it being an election year, I urge voters to get out and learn their candidate’s viewpoints on having more pristine neighborhoods and roadways along with illegal dumping topics,” she said. “Also, have conversations with those already in office to let them know they want to see these issues addressed in more depth.”
NMDOT estimated nearly $25,000 was spent on labor and equipment during the September cleanup.
“So much money is spent on picking up the litter when more can surely be done on the front end. The money spent every year on clean-up efforts could be spent on infrastructure, beautification projects, or public safety in our New Mexico neighborhoods instead,” Garwood said.
“All of us play a part in having a clean community that we want residents and visitors to enjoy.”
In June of this year, NMDOT said 155 employees of the department collected nearly 18 tons of trash throughout the state. Employees accrued nearly 759 labor hours and the cost was nearly $27,000.
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Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at [email protected] or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
